By Charles Albrecht
June 14, the day before Pentecost, the Pasadena church began a 50-day celebration of its 50th anniversary.
The congregation began in July 1947 when Herbert W. Armstrong moved church headquarters from Oregon to Southern California. Later that year the church opened the doors to Ambassador College.
In January 1997, Ralph Orr, supervisor of the church's in-service training program for ministers, presented celebration and theme ideas to pastor Curtis May.
Mr. May discussed the idea with the church's small groups, who in turn proposed 50 days of celebration and self-reflection. The groups used Luke 4:18-19 as an overall theme as it is known as a jubilee passage.
The Pasadena church has a diverse history. This was reflected in participating groups that included small groups from the Pasadena and Los Angeles churches (which united earlier this year), the Spanish church, teens and the Filipino congregation (which began meeting during the jubilee celebration).
Mr. May empowered each group to develop one weekend's worship service. The groups were encouraged to coordinate activities, choose themes, arrange speakers, schedule the order of worship services and pray for the service.
The small groups chose themes that built into one another over the seven-week period. The themes and group facilitators from June 14 through Aug. 2 were: Every Member in Ministry, Richard Lane; Into All the World, Sheila Graham; Heart and Home, Gloria Williams; Freedom in Christ, Belinda Falk; Living the Life, Teen Ministry; Jesus in Us, Anne Stapleton; Celebrating Our Heritage, Larry Omasta; and Unity in Diversity, Susi Albrecht. These groups were also supported by many other groups.
Randal Dick, superintendent of missions, said he was encouraged that the small groups not only were called upon to sponsor the anniversary celebration but were also involved in the planning of worship services.
The small groups planned events that included a picnic, a multicultural praise rally, a panel discussion on Christians with disabilities, several historical displays, and opportunities to hear from professional Christian counselors.
Herman Hoeh was an original member in the Pasadena church, which met in what is now called the Library Annex. He said the first service "was not the formal service we are now familiar with. It was an interplay of questions and answers. People in the audience would ask questions. Mr. Armstrong would answer them. But sometimes a member would offer an answer."
As the celebration closed, Mr. Tkach thanked God for what he had done in the church's past and asked that God would continue to direct the congregation in the next 50 years.
Charles Albrecht is business manager for Church Administration. He and his wife, Susi, charied the Pasadena jubilee celebration committee.
Aug. 19, 1997, WN, page 4
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